This disclosure relates to a device for use in transferring fluids from a source container to a receiving container. In one of its more specific versions, the invention relates to a device for use in dispensing oil from oil containers to an oil fill port.
At one time or another almost every individual who owns a vehicle or lawn mower with an internal combustion engine has had the experience in which they have had to pour fluids, such as gasoline or oil from a can to a port or other filler opening. Normally, a conventional funnel is utilized to facilitate the transfer of fluid from the source container to the receiving container in an effort to reduce spillage.
Conventional oil funnels are provided with a bowl-shaped receiving portion defining an opening which tapers towards a nozzle which is inserted within the filler opening of the receiving container or the oil fill port of the engine block. The opening and nozzle portions are typically of various shapes and sizes, and are systematically unstable and inconsistent when utilized. For example, when adding oil to a combustible engine, the user must first place the conventional funnel into the oil port of the engine. Sometimes the oil port can be placed in a hard to reach place compounding the awkwardness of effectively pouring oil manually by hand into the funnel. Frequently, when the user initially pours the oil from the container, the forceful flow of the fluid contacting the funnel will shift the position of or even worse, knock the funnel over and out of the fluid receiver resulting in spillage. In some instances, overflows are only an inconvenience, however, in others, such as where hydrocarbon fuels are being added to vehicles, the spill results in environmental contamination and a waste of natural resources.
Moreover, some funnel users have a difficult time accurately holding, aiming and pouring the fluid until the fluid is exhausted from the container to the funnel, further resulting in spillage of the fluid. The entire process can take up to several minutes. Furthermore, conventional funnels typically limit users as to the number of containers they are able to pour at the same time, resulting in a process that is laborious and time consuming.